The underworld is not the only place that burns
by Chivalricangel
Summary: Chris and Billie fall victim to a demonic conspiracy, but how far has it dug it's roots? Will it bring them closer together or further apart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Greetings from the Underworld.

 **Billie was not born at the time she was in the show but in the same year as Chris. Gideon never tried to kill Wyatt, Christie never existed.**

The underworld unnerved Chris, no matter how often he came down here it sent shivers down his spine, a fact more unusual as the underworld could be hot like fire, there was only one thing down here that ever kept him calm.

"Are we nearly there yet"? Whined the blonde.

"Should be" Chris anxiously replied.

The corridors seemed endless, a maze void of hope and life, his companion's blonde hair served as a torch to help him navigate the darkness of the underworld in both illusion and reality.

At last they arrived at the spot indicated by Gideon, it wasn't hard to spot, two hooded figures performing a demonic ritual, flashing lights and sounds accompanied by ritual chants filled the cavern providing the evening entertainment.

"It's like a concert!"

Chris gave her a piercing glance, it wasn't going to be so fun for the woman about to be ritually sacrificed by the demons.

Finding this spot wasn't easy, it took the better part of three hours to navigate the catacombs, Chris just wanted it to end but Billie wanted her money's worth.

Chris used his power to knock down the demon on the left, while Billie took care of the one on the right. To both of their surprise the Demon's whaled like little girls and ran deeper into the tunnels. As Chris untied the innocent satisfied that the job been completed, Billie ran off after the innocent.

"Wait!" Chris shouted.

Of course, telling Billie to wait wasn't going to work.

"Hold on". Chris gently spoke to the traumatized innocent and then ran after his partner.

"I lost them." Billie sighed. "Who's going to explain to Gideon that we failed?"

"We didn't fail we saved the innocent." Chris responded sharply.

"But now they can go and sacrifice another innocent." Billie had a worried tone in her voice.

"No, I don't think so. I think this was a onetime only thing, whatever the demons were planning to do, we stopped them." Chris tried to reassure Billie, but he did not even manage to convince himself.

"I guess." Billie shrugged her shoulders and had a defeated look on her face.

Billie never liked to allow a demon to escape, it was as if the utter destruction of monsters reinforced the value of her as human being.

 _After Chris reported what happened to Gideon he arrived at the bar 'Nexus' where members of the Magical Defence Agency, a spinoff of Magic School where elite graduates such as Billie and Chris work, it is a small group headed by Gideon. Chris had already orbed Billie here before reporting to Gideon._

"Halliwell, what took you so long, Gideon lecturing you about your failure!"

It was hank, Chris hated him with more passion than had ever hated any demon, besides his girlfriend was as responsible as him for the 'failure'

"Give me a beer."

Hank's comment didn't warrant a response.

"You're making my girlfriend look bad!"

Hank kissed Billie savouring is own arrogance through a show of possession, accompanied by other 'manly' behaviours such as drinking and the vile sound of words spilling out of his mouth.

"Hey, not even the almighty Christopher Halliwell could make that happen, come on Hank leave him alone." Billie pleaded to her boyfriend, the whole room new how Hank could be like when he drank.

Chris sipped beer unamused by the drunken spectacle before him, well it would be generous to say Hank was only like this when drunk, Chris couldn't understand what Billie saw in him beyond his over manliness.

A woman pulled up next to Chris at the bar, it was Bianca, clad in her usual leathers, she was Hank's witchy partner and Chris' friend, furthermore a reprieve from the ruckus in the background.

"I hear that your mission went a little sideways." Bianca was teasing Chris with her alluring eyes and a cheeky smile.

"The whole room heard." Chris playfully replied

"Hey let's talk outside." Bianca gestured to the door

Chris intrigued, followed Bianca curiously out of the room.

"I think I can help you, the demons you are looking for should be right here."

"Sweet, I'll go call Billie."

"No need to that, besides she's drank far more beer than you, it will just be you and me."

"Okay let's orb"

It was not a normal demon lair that they arrived in but, an apartment building, a very normal apartment, when Chris and Bianca arrived one of them was eating a snack at the kitchen counter, ravaging the bag of popcorn like there was no tomorrow, not stopping the saver the fine taste of the best the supermarket had to offer, while the other was watching tv on the couch. Bianca immediately plunged her dagger into the sofa bound demon while Chris used his power to send Bianca's dagger into the hungry demon.

"This is not the kind of place I expected demons to crash in."

"Actually, demons prefer to live in places like this, in fact these two worked at the local university and the woman you saved earlier, she was one of their students." Bianca lectured Chris, he could sometimes be so naïve.

This is wrong on so many levels, by the way how do you know all this? Chris had been used to demon lairs, however he lacked experience with demons so readily embracing and thriving in the human world.

"Gideon told me, he wanted you and Billie to work it out for yourselves, but he doesn't need to know that I helped you out." Bianca replied with her typical confidence. "Now time to go report the good news."

"Thank you." Chris said softly, smiling in relief.

 _The next day_

The doorbell was ringing as if it was malfunctioning.

Chris opened the door to find behind it an angry blonde witch.

"I just looked like a fool in front of Gideon, now he knows I didn't help vanquish the demons. Why didn't you bring me along, are we not partners, are we not best friends?" Billie looked visibly upset and betrayed.

Yes bu….

"Then why did you take Bianca, she's neither your best friend, your girlfriend or you're partner?"

There was anger in Billie's eyes she felt that she had been betrayed by her best friend, choosing another to do a task she thought was hers by right. Billie was known by those close to her to feel insecure at the slightest possibility of betrayal and abandonment.

"She took me, she found out where the demons are, besides you were drunk." Chris replied in annoyance of the accusations.

"I was not drunk, Billie said defensively, besides we've vanquished countless demons drunk."

"Why were you even at the headquarters to meet Gideon this early?" Chris shouted in frustration.

"Because I wanted to make amends for yesterday's screw up!" Billie yelled back at him.

"Ahhh never mind, look I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you let's just head to the meeting."

Chris was eager to leave this conversation, an interrogation on how he has not been loyal to his friend, it was never something he particularly enjoyed. Besides he was already feeling bad about how he quickly yielded to Bianca's request without considering how his decision affected Billie.

 _At the Magical Defence Agency Headquarters._

Chris and Billie took their places at the conference table, for all the splendour of magic school the Magical Defence Agency headquarters were underwhelming, although it was a new organization, it was a renovated apartment building, comparable to where Cole hosted his meetings with the leaders of the underworld, in his own, although admittedly very nice apartment.

Joining Chris and Billie was Hank and Bianca who held greater position than Chris and Billie, Bianca in particular held Gideon's trust, fortunately for Chris, Bianca favoured him and his family was held in deep respect, his father in particular had deep connections within the magical community. Billie on the other hand was a first-generation witch who had attached herself to Hank someone who Gideon thought little of, still Billie was far more proficient with her powers than Chris and has saved him many times in the past.

"As I am sure you are all aware of, the demonic presence in this city has increased considerably, demons have infiltrated every fabric of society." Gideon spoke dryly.

"So how do we stop it?" Billie inquired

"I believe killing their leader would deprive the demons of unity and purpose. They will have no choice but to go back underground."

"I imagine finding this leader is going to be difficult, he's not just going to come and say look at me I'm the leader vanquish me." Chris whined. He did this when he was impatient, it was a Halliwell trait.

"No, I imagine not, you'll have to capture some of the demons, eventually you should be able to find out enough information to reveal who their leader is." Gideon explained

"Alright lets get to work."

Notes: Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Training

"She's cute but you can do better."

Billie was pointing to Veronica behind the bar.

Chris smiled "Oh come on."

"I'm serious, I know she won't be able to make you happy". Billie joked.

"Stop playing around, where are we going?"

"Minnesota."

"Minnesota!" Chris repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, apparently, they are doing another ritual tonight, in this location." Billie shows Chris where on the map

"It's the middle of nowhere."

"We should get there early so we are prepared."

"Prepared for what, are we just going to just stop the ritual or question them for information?" Chris asked with growing confusion.

"Hmm, not sure yet, come on lets orb!"

"Hey wait a min…"

"Orb, now!"

Chris gave in with a huge sigh, wrapped his arms around Billie and they floated off in pretty blue lights.

They arrived at clearing in the forest, it was beautiful enough, it was past the time where wild flowers bloomed in the meadows but it was perfectly adequate for a ritual sacrifice.

"So where exactly is this ritual going to happen, I mean it can't be out here in the open, it has to be in the forest."

"Chris, I don't think we are going to have to worry about finding them, ritual sacrifices aren't exactly known for being quiet, besides it will be dark and there will be torches"

"The torches, I imagine of the medieval kind."

"Yeah because rich demon professors obviously can't afford batteries."

"Okay so the preparations"

"Right the preparations, erm let me see."

"You do have a plan right?"

"Well I was hoping one would come to me here."

"You are unbelievable."

"I was thinking we could practice."

"Practice what! What are we doing here?"

"Me and Hank had an argument."

"And I fail to see the relevance."

"Please I just want to take my mind of things."

"Practice, when you say practice you mean?"

"Oh yeah"

"Dad!"

Leo orbed into the meadow.

"Hey guys what's up?"

"We need you to help us train"

"Great, I'm glad to see you taking training seriously."

 _5 minutes later._

Leo hit Billie with a backhanded punch.

"Does that make you mad?"

While Leo was making his taunting comments Chris tried to punch him, first with his left hand, Leo ducked down and then with his right, Leo dodged this too and was unforgiving of his son's mistake grabbing him and throwing him to the floor.

"You'll never be able to defeat me."

Leo could be so annoying when training, his mean comments and perfect movements could be a very unpleasant combination.

"What are we doing wrong?" Billie exclaimed while losing her breath.

"You are not fighting as one, you may not be charmed one's but you two are powerful witches."

"You ready."

Chris and Billie looked at each other knowingly.

They ran at him at the same time, Leo attacked Billie first, his punch was true hitting Billie square in the jaw, but Chris quickly followed up grabbing his father, before Leo could push him off Billie had recovered and she had punched Leo knocking him to the floor.

"You did it."

"We did it." She said satisfaction smug on her face.

Chris smiled back and Leo caught it from his humble position in the dirt, he sensed something deeper, not just in his elder senses but in his fatherly instincts, this was more than teamwork in action.

"Do you need help with whatever you're doing here?" He asked while standing up.

"Yes." Chris gratefully replied.

"No!"

Chris and Leo both looked at Billie puzzled.

"I think me and Chris can handle it."

Leo paused a moment before speaking, he was concerned that Chris wanted his help, nevertheless he didn't want to contradict Billie.

"Okay, I'll leave you guys to it, take care of him Billie."

Billie nodded her head and then Leo orbed off.

"Why did you do that, we don't even know what we're doing!"

"Chris trust me we can take care of this ourselves, have a little more confidence."

Billie picked up her backpack of the floor, and undid the zip, grabbing a blanket and a bottle from inside.

"Wine?" Chris stated in surprise.

"Well we won't be drinking at Nexus so I thought why not here."

"We can always go back." Chris said secretly knowing her response.

"No, I want to stay here."

"Because of Hank?"

"No, because I want to spend some time alone with my friend. Of course, because of Hank."

"So, are we drinking for confidence or out of sadness?"

"You are drinking for confidence." She says while pouring a glass of wine and placing it in Chris' hand.

While pouring her own glass of wine:

"I am drinking because I'm sad." She said slowly.

They clink glasses and drink the wine, spending the remainder of the afternoon in a semi drunken trance, enjoying each other's company, remembering old memories in the almost perfect meadow at the edge of the woods, a beacon of light behind the closing in off darkness. It was still bright but as two people who have experienced real darkness they both new that the sun's power was fading.

"About these demons…"

"Right we really need to come up with a plan…let me think…we could pretend to be willing sacrifices, ask them a bunch of questions and just before they try to off us we kill, them all."

"Well, if that's the plan, we'll need more wine than this."

Billie takes out of her backpack another glass of wine.

"Tada!"

"I love you."

 _Two hours later._

Billie saw that Chris was scared, she placed her hands on his, they were trembling in an out of control frenzy.

"Do you trust me?"

Chris hesitated for a moment, Billies caring touch and her concerned but assured eyes calmed him enough to answer truthfully.

"Yes."

Billie gave a relieved smile and gently removed her hand.

The torches were lit, it was time to face the demons. It was a silent stroll through the forest, almost peaceful, if what they were doing wasn't so eerie, there was a warm breeze coming from the fire ahead, the burning bark smelt like sunshine filling the witches with courage on an otherwise sombre night.

"Who are you?"

"We are of the same mind, we wish to serve your cause in any way you deem fit."

The demon chuckled, there was an innocent tied to a tree, gagged and quivering in fear. There happened to be only two other demons standing on either side of the innocent.

"They'll make great sacrifices!" the demon to the left said like a savage animal about to taste blood.

"No, we only need one sacrifice...but we can make use of them." The leader said in a calculating manner and half smile at the end of the sentence

"This will fill him with even greater power!" He belted it out in a powerful roar

He quickly grabbed Billie and tied her up, Billie complied, although Chris was conflicted how to react, they hadn't got the information they needed, yet Billie's life was seriously in danger. Chris met Billie's eyes she was shaking head so as too not to interfere.

"Take this dagger and press it against her neck." The demon commanded.

Chris followed his instructions.

The demon poured some dust over Chris and Billie.

"If you two love each other the passion will create unbelievable energy."

"What passion?" Chris asked worried.

"You will kiss her, if it works it will be a great offering."

Chris swallowed, this situation was turning sideways fast.

"If not, your lives will be worthless and all three of you will be sacrificed!"

Chris was holding his dagger against Billies neck, unable to keep it still it grazed her, the sanguine from now from her neck mixed with the small tears dripping from her cheek. Billie looked defeated as if all hope was lost, there was no turning back now.

Notes: Thanks for reading, let me know if you're enjoying it :)


End file.
